Chapter 9: The Final Showdown
Pitch was in his lair. He could feel himself growing stronger and stronger as the minutes flicked by. The fear radiating off the citizens of Arendelle were making him stronger, more powerful, much more than he was before. Fredrik had served his purpose. Soon what he wanted will come to past.
Pitch could feel the darkness coming towards him. It was healing him, reenergising him. It helping reform his body. At the moment he was merely a black smoky cloud and now he was taking shape, taking form. The son of the Winter Spirit and the Snow Queen had done more than just defeat him. He had destroyed him. The child certainly was a powerful asset to have on one's side. Thankfully he had come up with a way to get what he had lost to return to him. It was rooted within his powers itself. Rooted within fear. As long as he was able to keep feeding on fear, he would be able to become himself again.
Pitch looked through the black crystal ball in front of him. Inside was more of the black smoky substance that Pitch likes to use. Pitch moved his hand, well a black smoky version that had started to take the shape of a hand, over it. The picture within the crystal ball changed. It showed a woman with blonde hair that had been done up in a French braid sitting at her desk. It was the Snow Queen.
Pitch smiled to himself. She had so much fear. It was simply perfect. Pitch feed of her fear and as he did so, he could feel himself growing more powerful. Soon. Very soon. Everything will come together. Pitch gave a high, cold, cruel laugh that penetrated the darkness and echoed off the walls around him.
Elsa was staring into the mirror in her dresser. Her mind was filled with terrible things which shook her to her very core. She could see everything she had dreaded come to past. Her family being killed where they stood, Arendelle calling her a monster and Jack leaving and never coming back. She couldn't move. She was frozen with fear. It had a hold on her and she couldn't let it go. She was shaking. She could barely breathe. The fear was suffocating her. She wanted it to end, to die out but it was too powerful and had already consumed her entirely.
Jack still hadn't come back. Why hadn't he come back? The fear responded. It said that he had left her forever and was never going to return. Elsa tried not to think this but it had already taken its hold. Jack had been gone a long time already. She was vividly reminded of the time when Jack had left for a year and missed Leif's birth and the entire pregnancy. She was terrified that would happen again but without Jack returning. Elsa's eyes glanced to the grandfather clock in her room. How much time had passed since Jack had left? A month? Two? It seemed like an eternity.
Elsa could feel the laughter returning as it echoed around her room. It was the same laughter that Elsa had heard before and that made the fear inside of her worsen. Ice started to take form. It started to creep around the walls and windows. The temperature dropped dramatically. Elsa looked wildly around for the source of the noise.
"Who's…who's there?" she stammered into the silence.
She was greeted with no response. Just the same laughter except this time it sounded stronger. Elsa could feel herself growing more scared. Everything that had been happening had sapped all her courage and bravery and left her as a frightened empty shell. Elsa continued to look around but there was nothing.
"Who's there?" she said only this time a bit stronger.
"Oh Elsa," came a reply. "Surely you haven't forgotten me by now."
Elsa felt her mouth go dry, very dry. She knew that voice. She would know it anywhere. It belonged to the same person who stole away her son and left her to die in a bleeding mess on the ground. It was Pitch.
This didn't make Elsa feel any better. At least she knew why the entirety of Arendelle was cowering in fear. Pitch, it seemed, had decided to pay them a little visit. Elsa tried to summon up some courage but it failed her. All the fear had sapped it away along with all her strength. She didn't think she could fight Pitch. She needed help. She needed Jack but where was he? Why hadn't he returned? Why wasn't he there to help her? Had he left her after all? Had he decided that Arendelle wasn't worth saving? These thoughts flicked through her brain making the fear stronger.
Elsa could feel the fear inside the room itself. Elsa stood up and opened the balcony door. She looked over at Arendelle. Nothing had changed. Elsa walked backwards and closed the balcony door. She turned around and screamed.
Jack was in the ballroom with everyone else in the castle. Leif was holding onto Jack's leg for dear life. Leif was so scared that he didn't want to leave Jack's side and Jack didn't want Leif to. Jack's main concern was for his family and right now he needed to make sure that they were going to be alright. If Leif was with him then Jack knew he was protected and fine but the thing that was preying on his mind was Elsa. She was still in her fear like state and didn't look like she was going to come out of it anytime soon. Jack just hoped that defeating Pitch, this time for good, would cure Elsa of it.
Suddenly they heard a scream. They all looked at the ceiling. Jack felt his mouth go very dry. He knew that scream anywhere.
"That's Elsa," he shouted.
Jack, Anna and Kristoff all bolted for Elsa's room. They flew up the stairs, Jack took them two at a time before they burst into Elsa's room. They found Elsa curled up on in a heap on the floor rocking back and forward. She looked as if something really bad had just happened. Jack helped her onto the bed. Elsa looked at him with petrified eyes.
"What happened?" Jack asked in a panic.
"He was here," Elsa said still rocking back and forward.
Jack felt his heart plummet. There was only one 'he' who could strike living fear into people.
"Pitch?" Jack whispered while Elsa furiously nodded.
Jack felt anger rising inside of him. Pitch had invaded his wife's country, her home and her soul. He had done this to not only Elsa, but so many others. He had to pay and he had to pay now. Jack wrapped his arms around Elsa and Elsa started to calm down. Jack could feel her breathing coming to a steady pace and her heartbeat had returned to normal.
"Where have you been? I needed you," Elsa said.
"I'm here now," Jack said. "I'm here now."
Jack helped Elsa to her feet. It seemed that Jack had managed to calm Elsa down and return her to a semi normal state. She wasn't like how she was before. It seemed as if Jack had helped get some of the fear away from her just by being there. They headed downstairs. The people inside the castle were relieved to see Elsa there. They all had been worried about her condition. Leif ran straight to his mother and Elsa embraced him tightly.
"What had happened?" North asked Jack.
"Pitch came and scared the hell out of Elsa," Jack said. "Luckily I got her to calm down."
"Is she going to be alright?" Tooth asked nervously. "Is she okay now?"
"I don't think so, completely," Jack answered. "I think with us being her, it helped get rid of some of the fears but I think that in order to get rid of the rest and to save Arendelle, Pitch is going have to be sent packing."
"We agree," North said.
"What do we do now?" Anna asked.
"We go to his lair and fight of course!" Bunnymund said.
"No," Jack said sharply. "Pitch has already shown his face here. Chances are he will return here."
"How right you are Frost," came a voice which made everyone jump.
"Pitch," Jack shouted into thin air. "Show yourself."
There was this crackling laugh which made everyone feel chills run down their spine.
"Come chase me if you dare," Pitch said.
Jack, Elsa, Leif (who didn't want to leave his parents alone and they didn't want to leave him alone) and the other Guardians raced through the castle following the voice wherever it went. They soon raced up the stairs heading towards the tallest tower in the castle. They came out and looked around Pitch was nowhere to be seen. Had they gone up the wrong tower? Jack thought. Jack's thoughts were answered instantly.
Black smoke started to appear in front of them and it started to take shape. Jack watched as Pitch stepped out of the smoke looking brand new. Pitch flexed his fingers and arms as if he was trying them out. Pitch wasn't paying them much attention. He was too busy focusing on himself and his new body. Jack thought that this may be an opportune time to strike, to get Pitch before he got them.
However Jack's plan was ruined. Pitch's gaze fell on them and grinned. His eyes flickered from one to the next. He paused on Leif who was looking angry and determined. Pitch grinned and continued onwards. Jack did not like the look that Pitch had given his son one bit. Was Pitch looking for revenge for what Leif did to him? Or was he simply going to finish what he had started before and take Leif again? Whatever the answer, Jack was not going to let it happen.
"So we meet again," Pitch said.
"Yes," Jack said gripping his staff.
He was ready. If Pitch made the slightest move, Jack was ready to strike. Pitch didn't speak again. He was still looking at them with interest. Jack wondered just how much stronger Pitch was. The nightmares that feed him fear that were coming from Arendelle would just hinder Jack's attempt to get rid of Pitch. They made him stronger. Pitch loved feeding off fear and with Elsa standing next to Jack, Jack grew worried that Elsa's fear would just aid Pitch even more. But whatever happened, Pitch was not going to win. Jack was going to make sure of that.
Pitch gave them a nasty smile and Jack knew what was coming. Before Pitch could act, Jack set a jet of ice right at Pitch which took him by surprise. He was staggered backwards from the blast. He looked up at them and grinned. Black smoke erupted from nowhere and it flew at them. It blasted them back and forwards. Cuts and bruises from the smoke appeared on all their faces and bodies as it attacked them. Jack could see Pitch laughing in the background. Jack looked at Leif and at Elsa. He knew that he wasn't powerful enough to finish Pitch off but he knew someone who could.
Jack flew at Pitch who was again taken by surprise and Jack managed to get a grip on Pitch. Pitch struggled but Jack had a stronger grip.
"Leif blast him," Jack shouted at his son. "Do it."
Pitch was trying to get free but it was of no use. Jack caused ice to hold him in his place but Jack knew it wasn't going to hold Pitch forever. He needed Leif to act and he needed him to act now. Leif was the only one who could finish it.
"Do it," Jack yelled again.
"But then you will be hit," Leif cried.
"Do it," Jack yelled. "Don't worry about me."
Pitch struggled and Jack could feel his grip breaking.
"Leif, just do it," Jack yelled.
Leif was crying but he focused and he shot a blast of ice which went through Pitch and into Jack. They when then both blasted off the tower and down into the night.
"Jack!" Jack heard Elsa yell in terror before everything went dark.
A/N: What's going to go down now? Dun, dun, dunnn. So I hope you guys enjoyed this update. Please review =)
